Vanilla chocolate layer cake
from The Guardian

With a rich crème fraîche frosting it’s the perfect ‘I love you’ cake.

275g unsalted butter
150g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, scraped
4 large eggs, separated
225g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp milk
200g dark chocolate
100g crème fraîche
100g icing sugar

Line the base of two 20cm round sponge tins with non-stick paper and heat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/gas 4. Beat 175g butter, 75g caster sugar, vanilla pod seeds and 2 yolks together until light and fluffy then beat in half the flour plus the baking powder and milk until smooth. In another bowl using a clean beaters whisk the egg whites until thick then beat 75g sugar to a soft meringue. Beat this with the butter mixture, then sift and fold in the remaining flour in then gently. Divide evenly between the tin and bake for 25 minutes. For the chocolate frosting melt 100g butter with the chocolate then beat in 100g icing sugar until smooth. Leave until barely warm then beat in the crème fraîche and leave to set slightly. Get the cakes ready by peeling off the baking paper and brushing the tops with a little water. Spread the frosting over both tops, place one layer on the other, then gives the sides a light coating. Chill the cake then spread the remaining frosting over.

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Spiced stout buns
from The Guardian

For these Easter buns I’ve completely re-jigged the recipe to give a dark spicy richness.

I know, the crosses are a bit weird but I was experimenting with piping a cooked starch mixture and...no, it doesn't work. But the buns are lovely!

325ml tin stout, preferably Mackesons
1 1/2 tsp each ground ginger, cinnamon and mace
1 1/2 tsp dry instant yeast
875g strong white flour, plus extra for shaping and piping
325g raisins
250ml hot black tea
175g mixed peel or finely chopped dried apricots
1 large egg
50g melted butter
50g caster sugar, plus extra for the top
1 1/2 tsp salt

The night before mix the stout, spices, yeast and 325g flour in a deep bowl. Put the raisins, peel and tea in another bowl. Next day mix the egg and butter with the fruit then stir with the beer and spice batter. Add 550g flour, sugar and salt and mix well. Leave 10 minutes then lightly oil your hands and a 30cm patch of worktop. Knead the dough for 10 seconds. Wait 10 minutes then repeat the quick knead twice more at 10 minute intervals then leave an hour. Divide into 100g pieces, shape into balls and place touching on a tray lined with non-stick paper. Leave 1 1/2 hours then mix extra flour with water to a paste and pipe crosses on each. Bake at 200°C/fan 180°C/390°F/gas 6 for 25 minutes. Mix a tablespoon each caster sugar and boiling water and brush over while hot.

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Onion seed hotdog rolls
from The Guardian

These tear-apart batch rolls are soft in texture and perfect for a saveloy.

about 400g onions, peeled and sliced
50ml sunflower oil, extra for kneading
2 tsp black onion (Kalonji) seeds, or fennel seeds
75ml cold milk
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp fine salt
500g strong white flour, plus more for shaping
100g strong wholemeal flour
1 1/2 tsp dry instant yeast

Cook the onions and oil for 10 – 15 minutes until they’re soft, golden brown and lost most of their moisture. Scrape into a bowl, and mix in the seeds, milk, one egg, salt and 200ml warm water. Add the yeast and flours and mix to a sticky dough, adding more water if needed, then leave the dough 10 minutes. Oil a 30cm area of the worktop and your hands. Knead the dough for 10 seconds. Leave 10 minutes then repeat the quick knead twice more at 10 minute intervals, return the dough to the bowl and leave an hour. Divide into 8 pieces and shape into balls. Roll each out to about the size of a pita then roll up tightly into a long sausage. Place these seam-side down and touching on a tray lined with non-stick paper. Cover and leave for 1 1/2 hours then brush with beaten egg and bake at 200°C/fan 180°C/390°F/gas 6 for 25 minutes.

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a soft crust of almonds hides chunks of fresh pineapple baked in a real vanilla syrup

Baked pineapple with almonds
from The Guardian

With a little vanilla syrup, pineapple baked in this way is to serve on it’s own, either hot with ice-cream or at room temperature with a little sorbet. So to respect the delicacy I’ve added a soft almond pudding crust that bolsters the texture so it feels more filling when the weather is cold or if you’re just in need of a little comfort.

1 large ripe pineapple
about 125g caster sugar, more if needed
juice of half a lemon or lime
75ml brandy or orange juice
1 split vanilla pod
75g butter, softened
1 large egg
75g ground almonds
25g plain flour
flaked almonds

Trim the skin from the pineapple, quarter, cut out the core then slice into 1cm pieces. Place the pineapple in a baking dish big enough so the pieces half fill it, then sprinkle on 50g sugar, lemon juice, 50ml brandy and 75ml water. Submerse the vanilla pod in the dish, cover with foil and bake at 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/gas 4 until hot and tender. Make the frangipane crust by beating the butter and 75g sugar until smooth, then beat in the egg, almonds, flour and 25ml brandy. Just before serving spoon the mixture over the pineapple, sprinkle with flaked almonds and bake at 200°C/fan 180°C/390°F/gas 6 until brown on top.

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